A Suggestion-Take It or Leave It

[highlow]

Was out yesterday morning. Temp was about 36 degrees. I had on enough to keep me warm. Was on stand (ladder) for about two and a half hours.
When I started to get my gear together to leave and before I lowered my bow to the ground, I decided to draw it and aim at imagined deer in different locations around the stand. I was amazed at how difficult it was to come to full draw. I attributed it to the fact that I had been sitting for that time in the cold. I'm hunting with a Stalker Wolverine FXT static tip, 47# @28. I practiced with this bow all summer, albeit in shirt sleeves and 80 degree weather.
I suppose at this juncture I should tell you that I'm 71, in good health and of average strength for my age, whatever that might be. Anyway, drawing the bow in the warm weather was nothing. But I soon discovered, as I stated above, how tings can and usually are quite different in an actual hunting situation, especially as the temps start dropping. Truth be told, I was actually glad a deer didn't show up and make a bad shot due to not being able to come to full draw because of tight muscles and layers of clothing.
So, this morning, I approached things quite differently, temp being a tad warmer but with the same clothing. On taking the bow out of the truck, I drew it a few times. On the way to the stand, stopped and drew it a few more times. When almost situated in the stand, repeated the same. During the sit, and after making certain there were no deer around, would draw the bow again a few times. I would do this every so often just to keep my muscles from tightening up like they did yesterday. I know what some of you are going to say about not wanting to spook any deer that might be nearby but unseen. For me, being able to make the shot I practiced and with the bow I practiced, is of paramount importance over the chance of spooking a deer. I think we owe it to the animals we hunt to be at our absolute best when the time comes to take that shot.
As I said, this is just a suggestion and I guess it's targeted at the "old geezers" clan on this site but maybe it could apply to some of you young'uns out there.
And I suppose I could go to a lighter draw weight bow but I shoot the Stalker well so staying loose and keeping those shooting muscles warm should do the trick. That's it. Take it or leave it.

Glad you figured it out before a deer got in front of you!

Bisch

[ron w]

One of the many reasons I have dropped in poundage. I'm shooting 43-46# when I hunt now.

[Mudd]

Thank you for the "heads up".. I will start making sure that I stay limbered up.

God bless,Mudd

[Doc Nock]

With arthritis, that doesn't seem to work as well for me... but appreciate your sharing.

I find I can overpower the soreness, stiffness and get to full draw due to the rush of a deer being RIGHT THERE...

When I try the limber up stuff, after getting up very early before fully rested, doing my morning stretching exercises at home, I find that things go South on me quickly the more I pull the bow.

My Sas is the smoothest and fastest 47# I've ever shot, but as you say, inactivity, cold or not so much, renders me less then happy.  Sitting still is a huge factor in that for me...

So far here in TN, I've not found hunting partners or places close to home yet, so I'm not doing much, but I found back in PA that tree stand sitting was my undoing if I wanted to hunt more then one day in a row.

Good thing about finding new country here, will be I'll be forced to snoop around and keep moving, albeit slowly...

Hopefully, that might provide me a few more years and like Ron W, I have lighter limbs on order from Kirk...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

When i gear up in cold or rainy weather, i use an assortment of rain coats or arctic fleece, or even wool pull overs in dry cold situations.  I like to shoot my bow at least once before starting my hunt more to check for string clearance than anything.... I've never had a problem drawing a bow in cold weather vs warm weather..... But i don't sit in trees either.

Last year i bought this really cool ghillie suit to hunt turkeys in texas. Man that thing worked excellent for those sharp eyed devils.... but shooting with the dad burn thing proved almost impossible without getting those loose strands caught in the string. I had to give my suit a serious hair cut before i could shoot with it.

[Wheels2]

I appreciate guys like you who decide to drop in weight because it aids in shooting.  The folks that cause me concerns are those that just pick 40#  and say "Good enough".
Lower poundages kill deer, but with more limitations than a higher poundage bow.  The lower poundage just requires a bit closer shot, perhaps a two blade vs three, and a higher gpp arrow resulting in a bit less speed with more arc in the arrow flight.

[damascusdave]

Where I live I get to shoot in cold weather quite a bit...being able to shoot lots of weight in cold weather is all about getting to shoot in cold weather quite a bit...I am going to be 64 soon and can shoot 60 pounds any time I want to

DDave

[AZ_Longbow]

Always practice with/in your gear in the positions you will be hunting in. You can work out those problems ant tie down loose ends. My buddie missed a shot this year because he couldn't draw while kneeling. He never practiced it. He only shot the by the book method so his muscles where conditioned to that.

[Jock Whisky]

Got so cold in my stand one year I COULDN'T draw my bow. (57lb at my DL). In fact I could barely climb out of the stand due to cold. Change was in order
warmer clothes, lighter bow, tied in all the way up and down and did what you did. Drew the bow now and then. Much better now.

[McDave]

I have a tendency to fidget around, which is not a good habit to have in a treestand.  At least now I have a good excuse.  I'm 71, like highlow, and I need to pull my bow back from time to time to make sure I can still do it.  Probably the same reasoning should apply to scratching my butt, stretching, taking a leak, cracking my neck, waking myself up by snoring too loud, looking around behind me to see if anything is sneaking up downwind of me, peeking at my iphone to see what time it is, and many other important things.  Never can tell when I'm going to get too old to do one of these things, and it pays to keep checking!

[pdk25]

I guess we are all different.  I shoot bows up to 100# for practice, and 80# is pretty effortless during practice, but let me sit and stiffen up, especially when it is cold out, and an 80# bow is out of the question for accuracy, and a real bear to get back to full draw.  Most of my cold weather stand hunting is done with bows that are around 60# at my draw.  Even with my lighter setups, I like to practice draw from time to time.  Keeps me loose, and it is almost like being in the right rhythm for the shot.

[Sam McMichael]

I always draw my bow several times when I get in my stand. The woods have already been disturbed by my climbing into the stand, so the few pulls made on the bow are no big deal. I try to get in the stand well before light to avoid alerting any deer that I might have a chance at. I think your routine is good and that most hunters should follow your lead.

[Ric O'Shay]

David -
I'll be 72 in a couple of weeks and learned a while back that I need to stay out of trees. It hurts when you hit the ground, but it hurts a lot less when you are sitting in a chair that's sitting on the ground. I also shoot at least dozen of arrows in camp before I go out. Also, I draw my bow 4 or 5 times every so often just to stay loose.

Hang in there and keep those muscles warm and loose and you'll be OK.

Danny

[highlow]

I'm just thankful that I can still get in a tree stand, Ric. Did a quick "get down" quite a few years ago with a Baker. Most of you young guys probably don't know what I'm talking about. They were a climber and an accident waiting to happen, which it did way too often. Use ladders now. I assume from your comment Ric that you've experienced a fall at some time in your hunting career. I'm sure I will also reach the point where I stay on the ground but not yet.

[J. Cook]

I get such an adrenaline rush the instant I make a mental decision to try and shoot that animal that I could pull a 120# English war bow!!!  I shoot weights I can handle shooting 100+ shots in a day, but I get that freak strength when I go into autopilot on an animal.  

I think it's great you recognized it and fixed the issue before it cost you anything.

[bamboo]

Originally posted by J. Cook:
I get such an adrenaline rush the instant I make a mental decision to try and shoot that animal that I could pull a 120# English war bow!!!  I shoot weights I can handle shooting 100+ shots in a day, but I get that freak strength when I go into autopilot on an animal.  

I think it's great you recognized it and fixed the issue before it cost you anything.

----I call that "DEER MUSCLES"!! --I get em too J!!LOL!!

[Butch Speer]

Great idea.

[Wheels2]

Since going on the blood pressure meds, I get colder.  I have to draw back several times on a morning hunt.  Helps to keep me warm.  
Standing to do so also helps my bad hip.
I always carry a Judo with me that has a touch of deer scent on the feathers. About half way through the morning I take a practice shot at a leaf or stump nearby.

[JD Page 1965]

You kids get off my lawn!! Back in my day a car cost a quarter and ran two weeks on pennies worth of gas. Hey getting old sucks (this I know personally) staying out of trees and alive should be top priority. If you fall out of a tree expect a buck to walk close by and laugh. Now this has been a joke... and if offended you are probably really really old and mad that the nurse forgot your rice pudding again but remembered the prostate exam